Two officers injured in I-95 collision, causing mile-long backup

Two Maryland Transportation Authority police officers were injured while conducting a traffic stop on the side of southbound Interstate 95 in a collision that backed up traffic for at least a mile early Thursday morning, according to MdTA Police.

About 3:55 a.m., one officer was standing outside a patrol car and a second was inside of it just south of Caton Avenue when an oncoming vehicle collided with the patrol car, which then struck the officer standing outside, said 1st Sgt. Kevin Ayd, a police spokesman.

The struck officer sustained injuries to his head and shoulder and was transported to Maryland Shock Trauma Center, where before he was released he was "alert and conscious" and stable, Ayd said. The officer inside the patrol car sustained minor injuries, and was taken to University of Maryland Medical Center.

The driver of the oncoming vehicle, a woman, was also transported to Shock Trauma. Ayd said the woman was "stable," but did not have more specific information as to her condition.

The driver in the vehicle that the officers had pulled over was not injured, Ayd said.

The state Department of Transportation reported the accident at 4:05 a.m., and at 6 a.m., the Maryland Transportation Authority said that two right lanes of the highway remained closed between Caton Avenue and Interstate 695 for a police reconstruction of the accident.

At 7:15 a.m., DOT reported two right lanes and one right shoulder closed. At 7:55 a.m., MdTA reported that all southbound I-95 lanes are open but added that motorists should still expect backups.

Ayd said police do not know a cause for the collision and are actively investigating the incident.

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